Fisher bursts Bennie's bubble

By Avinash Nair

BANGALORE, AUG. 26. The bubble finally burst and the Kheladi.com 12th World under-21 snooker championship final ended in an anti- climax. Luke Fisher of England dished out a sterling display with poise and precision to emerge an easy 11-5 winner at the KSBA hall here on Saturday. Luke Fisher won 83-22, 74-36, 64-38, 70- 60, 90-35, 68-0, 15-83, 71-41, 75-0, 29-70, 21-71, 72-19, 8- 74, 67-22, 0-92, 47-35.

The expected fireworks did not materialise. The flamboyance of the 20-year-old from Nottinghamshire turned out to be too hot for an otherwise `hot' Steven Bennie. And the Scot, who compiled big breaks, including seven centuries in the championship coming into the final, ended with a whimper.

That Bennie had a bad day would be stating the obvious. His potting and positioning deserted him totally. The shots which he would pocket blindfolded on any other day, came off the edges. His precise safeties which had many a rival scratching their heads proved easy fodder for Fisher.

Bennie down 1-8 after the first session did make an attempt to come back into the match. But the early leeway was too much to bridge.

Fisher on his part was a picture of confidence. ``No, no... I definitely did not expect it to be this easy,'' said a beaming Fisher. ``An 8-1 was a pretty cushion to be on. But in the second session I became a bit edgy, more so when Steven started getting his fluency. Finally it all turned out well.''

Fisher, the third seed, began on a whirlwind note with his fluency and finesse stumping Steven Bennie no end. A 60 to begin with in the 12th visit gave Fisher the first frame and when he followed it up with a 47 early in the second, the crowd after the exploits of Bennie in the earlier rounds, expected a tight contest. It never came about at least in the first session of nine frames, in a best of 21 frame final.

The Englishman capitalising on some unimaginable mistakes from Bennie raced away with some steady play. There was nothing flashy about his play. Composed and confident he rallied from a 2-30 defecit with a break of 44 to nose ahead in the third and when Bennie `sold' a blue while coming out of a difficult snook, the lad from Nottinghamshire gleefully accepted the offering (blue and pink) for a 70-60 frame win (4-0).

The crowd was stunned and when Fisher came up with a 66 and a 41 in the next two frames, the disbelief on the faces of the `Steven Bennie fan club' was glaring.

Bennie made his first move. A difficult red on the top right corner and a fine cut on the black that came by won the Scot a good round of applause. Four away points, twice, through a foul and a miss added to the Scots' points tally. He came up with a fine 34 on his own to give him the seventh frame 83-15. And one expected him to carry on.

But Fisher gave nothing away. A 50 accumulated when he found the centre pocket for red with a double cushion gave him the eighth frame 71-41 and kept Bennie in his seat for the next frame as well with breaks of 22 and 43. It was indeed a flattering margin (8-1) going into the break.

On resumption the fight that everyone hoped for came through. Bennie for one was not going to go down without a fight and his steely nerve showed when he came up with a 30 and followed it with a 40 to win the first frame of the second session. A 30 in the next and a straightforward miss by Fisher on the red gave Bennie a chance, which he took to rake in the frame.

But Bennie's resurgence was halted thanks to a break of 68 by Fisher, targeting the pink with the black slightly displaced.

Bennie down 3-9 had to come out with big breaks. And when a fluent 72 came off the Scot's cue (seven blacks and three blues), the crowd was back in its seat. It clapped for everything that Bennie potted and the Scot had to rise to its expectations. It came in the 15th frame, a marvellously compiled 92, which had century written all over it, but was terminated thanks to a finely sliced red wobbling at the top right corner pocket. That was the end of his challenge as well.

Fisher had claimed the 14th frame with `bits and pieces' break and stalled the top seed with a couple of crafty snookers. Steven fouled twice and though he came up with a superb rebound on the yellow he missed on the blue at 35-36. Fisher deftly pocketed the blue and a difficult pink to seal victory.

Luke Fisher, who remained unbeaten throughout the 14- day championship is richer by œ2000 besides the glittering trophy and a traditional Mysore turban. Steven got a purse of œ1000.

Kevin Tang of Singapore, who recorded the highest break of the championship, a 137, was also presented with a cheque of œ1000.

The results (final): Luke Fisher (Eng) bt Steven Bennie (Sco) 11- 5 (83- 22, 74-36, 64-38, 70-60, 90-35, 68-0, 15-83, 71-41, 75-0, 29-70, 21-71, 72-19, 8-74, 67-22, 0-92, 47-35).

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